Dear editor,
There are different types of basketball games. There is one type where friends get together for a friendly, relaxed game. There is another which is more competitive, for example – between neighborhood kids or schools, but which stresses sportsmanship and fair play. But unfortunately there is yet another type of “game” in which a team – unhappy with their own lack of athletic ability, jealous/envious of the skills of the other team, with hurt pride and hate, will resort to “playing dirty” in order to win!! They cannot play fair and win. They cannot compete on the court, and so they cheat, play dirty, and even try to intimidate and injure the other team. There is an intentional shift away from sportsmanship and fair play to a type of play which discards rules and civility. It is no longer a fair game. They will begin to “trash talk” and verbally abuse the other team. No sportsmanship there. They will break the rules and cheat. And then sometimes they will get physical with elbows flying and flagrant fouls. Astoundingly, it is somehow okay for them in their minds to physically injure someone who is winning on the court!! A line has been crossed. The tactics and foul play of such a “team” clearly expose their lack of ability and their character.
Taking out a player’s knee is not fair play. Such an action is actually an indictment on a team’s lack of ability and of their lack of character.
As in basketball, so in life. And sadly, the country is being manipulated and torn apart by those who cannot win on the field of facts nor compete in the court of reason. Therefore, they have resorted to verbal abuse, insults, and attacks to divide the country for their own agenda, and sadly even to intimidation tactics, threats, and actual violence!! They have exposed not only their disinterest in calm dialogue, rational explanations, and facts, but also their character poisoned by anger and hate, all for the sake of “winning.”
Over 200 years ago a young George Washington transcribed the 110 Rules of Civility. But what has happened to CIVILITY and RESPECT since then? Revealingly, as soon as one “team” lost the election in 2016, there has been an explosion of vitriol, hateful speech, attacks (physical and verbal), and intimidation!
“Antifa,” ironically resembling the black shirts of the Italian fascists under Mussolini, rose up with acts of violence and intimidation tactics to shut down free speech! People openly talked of the assassination of a U.S. president. Congressman Steve Scalise was seriously wounded by a gunman on June 14, 2017, who fired upon Republicans practicing for a CHARITY GAME!! Wanting America to be great again makes a person a target. Do some people hate America so much that they would come against anyone wanting to make America great?
The hearing for candidate Brett Kavanaugh is marked by 73 people (leftist protesters) getting arrested and his children escorted out! Shameful.
A man tried to stab Rudy Peters, a congressional candidate running in California’s 15th district. Someone threatened mass murder at a MAGA rally at Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. This cannot be allowed to go on. At least in basketball, the offending player is charged with a foul, and even suspended! There reaches a point where such blatant, foul, disrespectful, and violent tactics can no longer be tolerated. For how long will the country allow one “side” to flagrantly continue with their tactics of division, hate, rage, and violence?
Paul Leonard
Great Bend
